


Our haven smells of coffee beans

by Shaalara



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Secret Relationship, Some angst for plot, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, rival gangs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:34:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shaalara/pseuds/Shaalara
Summary: Link and Ganon meet in a coffee shop, speaking each other's first words and enjoying the bliss of discovering their soulmate. But outside of the small corner shop, where reality reigns supreme, their budding romance is put to the test.
Relationships: Ganondorf/Link (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52





	1. Fated meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I'm coming back with another soulmate AU because I am a sucker for them and the other one was quite popular (thank you guys so much for that). As the GanLink fluff giver that I am, be prepared for a sweet love story to hopefully fulfill your needs.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Link meets Ganon.

We create many of our own havens throughout our lives. New and intimidating places slowly fade into our routine, becoming as familiar as our own home. The unusual smells becoming dear and comforting. The atmosphere mixing with our mood, bringing an involuntary smile to our face. The people we arrange to meet there become unforgettable. For many, they hoped one of them would be their soulmate.

A soulmate. Someone engraved on their skin since their fifth birthday. Someone who would always be by your side. Who would love you unconditionally. Some were romantic, some platonic, but all were intense and beautiful. 

First words were a guide. Engraved on the left wrist in black letters by an invisible hand, they helped you find that one person. A hint in a long-run game of hide and seek. For Link however, it was a bit complicated.

_"Hi. What can I get for you?"_

That single line had been staring at him for fifteen years. So his soulmate was in the service industry. That was fine. But it hardly helped him at all. Only made him paranoid. What if he just ordered something everyone got and then that would be it, neither would know they had met. No, he couldn't allow it. He had a plan. A phrase he would say every time he ordered anything.

"Do you really have to say it every. single. time?" His friend Zelda asked as they went to sit with their newly bought lunch.

"I am not missing my soulmate because of your embarrassment." He said, sitting down next to the window.

Zelda groaned. She took of her jacket and placed it on the back of her chair. It was a green bomber jacket with golden details, the same as his, the mark of their gang. Well, gang was a big word. They were a group helping the local police with petty crimes. Zelda had named it Hyrule, after a place in her favourite children's book. She was their fearless leader, referred to as the Princess. Link, her childhood friend had ended up as her right hand man and bodyguard, mostly from being forced to drag her out of situations she was too proud to ask help for. 

_'A princess takes care of business alone'_

_'They had knives!'_

_'Link, do you think a mere stab wound can kill me?'_

_'I really wish you would think so.'_

Apart from the occasional dangerous situation, Link couldn't deny he shared Zelda's love of the thrill. He acted as if he didn't, but she had often counted him about the smile that would appear on his face whenever they were in danger.

_'You're a bigger adrenaline junkie than I am. You should be grateful I allow you this close to the action.'_

He hadn't been able to retort. 

There was only one bad side to their business.

"Did you hear?" Zelda said, thoughtfully munching on a french fry. "Apparently the leader of Gerudo has come back to town after working abroad. We'll have to tighten our grip on them or they're going to be a huge pain in the arse."

"They've had a leader all this time?" Gerudo was another local gang of the city. Though they were much closer to the common definition of the word. They were unorganised truants who caused trouble everywhere they went. Since they seemed to lack an internal structure, it was almost impossible for either Hyrule or the police to predict their movements. Them falling under a leader could be their downfall as well as it could elevate them into a much more dangerous threat.

"I've heard he's a beast of a man. Almost seven feet tall, with muscles to go with it. Though that's probably exaggerated to scare us." She said.

Link tried to visualize the man. Imagining the height difference, the size of his arms, until he was hit in the face by a french fry.

"What was that for?"

"I know that face," Zelda said, frowning. "No fantasising about the enemy. I know your type."

Link groaned. "Yes, I have a type, so what? If he's going to be a pain in the arse he can at least be eye candy to make up for it."

Zelda made a face but couldn't resist a small smile. They both enjoyed this, the banter of a friendship whose beginning neither could place anymore. Only memories of smiles and love for one another. A duo which had grown into a stable group of friends who now defended their home together. Their own little found family, and the Goddesses knew they all needed it.

"Are you coming to the meeting after this?" She asked as they put away their trays.

"Can't. Mr.Deku lost his cat in the eastern part of town. I promised to look for it."

"Are you sure that's not too advanced to do alone? Do you want back up?" 

Link hit her in the arm, she simply laughed. "Keep me updated if you see any Gerudo movement."

"Will do."

Link opted to walk to his destination, enjoying the warm light of the sunset seep between the buildings as he walked. He had never really been to this part of town. Not for leisure anyway. It is hard to sight see when you're chasing drug dealers through alleys at 2 in the morning. 

So he took in as much as he could, keeping an eye out for a particular black cat in the process. As he arrived near the park, his eye was drawn by a small cafe bordering the greenery. Above the door, "The Lost Woods Café" was written in elegant green letters. The storefront was populated with flowers and small puppets with large hats. He found them awfully cute for the strange face carved into them. 

He had intended to just walk away after his little finding, but he had made the mistake of peeking through the large glass windows.

Stood at the counter was a man whose stature Link had only seen in magazines hidden under his bed in high school (they were more openly put in a bookshelf now). _What the hell._ He thought. _What the hell. What the hell._ He stood frozen, his head half up, just staring at the man ringing up orders. He was ringing up orders. He was in the service industry. His wrist started to itch.

 _No, no, no. Calm down Link._ He desperately tried to reign in his spiraling mind. _It's going to be fine._ He told himself. _You're going to go up to him, you'll say 'Hi, I like swords, could I get a black coffee?' He'll look at you weird, give you your coffee, and you'll just move on with your day._ Yep. He had the perfect plan, and he had never hoped anything to fail as much as he did now. 

He walked in, steeling himself. The atmosphere of the small cafe was quaint, homely. It was filled with climbing plants and gentle scents which helped to calm his troubled soul. He felt as if he was walking in those picture perfect garden sitting spaces he read about in books. He caught the attention of the man as he came in, and he was met with a small business smile. 

The smile, fake as it may have been, did something to Link's stomach he did not appreciate, so he made a point of only staring at the menu as he approached the counter. There were three people before him, though he could only see them through the corner of his eye. He could barely read the menu as he repeated his line like a mantra. _Hi, I like swords. Hi, I like swords. Hi, I like swords. Hi, I like swords. Hi, I like-_

"Hi, What can I get for you?"

The people in front of Link had vanished into thin air, and there was nothing but emptiness between him and the man whose voice had said the words he had heard and hoped for so many times, but never like this. His wrist had never itched like this. They had never had a face with such amazing features as he was seeing now. Never hair so bright and long all Link wanted to do was comb it from morning to night. 

"Swords!" He cried out in panic. He caught himself in shame. "I mean, no! I mean, yes! I mean...Fuck." This was going horribly. He felt as if the whole café was looking at him in judgement. This was going to be his death. He made a fool of himself to someone who probably wasn't even his soulmate and now he had to actually order some coffee and wait agonizing minutes before taking it and drowning himself in the nearby river. It was a light chuckle that brought him out of his spiral. 

He looked up to see the tall man looking towards him with a warm smile, his wrist turned towards himself as if he just had to check. Link couldn't stop himself from hoping. 

"I'm glad that last word wasn't included," The tall man said. "I can't imagine my parents explaining that to a five year old."

When Link seemed too stunned for the stranger's words to reach his ears, the man turned his wrist towards him so his first words were clearly visible. He then shifted his hand to a handshake position. 

"Hi." He said.

Link grabbed his hand, still in utter shock. "Hi."

"I happen to like swords, for some strange reason," He said with a knowing smirk. "Want to talk about it over coffee?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of a new series! This may turn out quite long as I have many ideas. The two introductory chapters will be quite short, then the length will shoot up as we get on with the story. I hope you guys enjoy it!


	2. Hometown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Ganon came to be the leader of the Gerudo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Okay, let's write a cute, short chapter quickly detailing how Ganon met Link.  
> My brain: Got it. 3k words of angst it is.  
> Me: Brain no.  
> My brain: Brain yes.

The night before his fifth birthday, Ganon valiantly fought against sleep until midnight. He was joined in battle by one of his mums-Koume-, and captain growl- his wolf plush and most loyal friend-. He simply had to see them for himself, the mysterious words that would become engraved on his skin. Who would lead him to his soulmate. At the strike of midnight, when his eyes almost felt too heavy to bear, he felt a tingling sensation on his wrist. It was the strangest combination of words.

_"Swords! I mean, no! I mean, yes!"_

He turned to his mum for support, but found she looked as confused as he felt. 

"It's okay," She told him. "They're quite unique words, I doubt you'll miss your soulmate."

Ganon still felt cheated. He had expected a hint. Anything. How could he go and look for his soulmate with this? Seeing his pout, his mother brushed his bright red hair out of his face and kissed his forehead, promising to have a long talk about it the next day. Now was a time to sleep. He had his entire life ahead of him now to find out what to do.

The next morning, Ganon found a brochure for the local fencing club on the breakfast table.

"What's this?"

"Fencing, honey," Kotake, the oldest of his mums answered. "It's a sport where you fight with very thin swords."

Ganon's eyes lit up. "Swords!" He let out.

His mums looked at each other and giggled. "Yep. Swords."

The minimum age for his local club was eight. After a good tantrum and many explanations from his parents, he had grabbed the brochure and hung it in his room. As a promise. When he turned eight, he would start his soulmate quest.

The red haired boy went to his first fencing lesson with stars in his eyes and hope in his heart. He almost didn't pay any attention to the instructor's introduction, too busy scrutinising every other child, looking for any sign of his soulmate. His hopes were all crushed however, when every student was made to introduce themselves to the class. Sure, they had all talked about swords, but none had spoken the words which had made his heart sway. With disappointment ruling his heart, he almost decided to quit, until the instructor started to demonstrate what they would learn.

Ganon watched in awe as the man mixed elegance and strength, showing off his techniques. A routine made to impress young minds, and it worked. _You're right_ . He said to his soulmate. _Swords are so cool_. When he came home, his mothers were surprised at his lack of disappointment.

"It's okay!" He told them. "They like swords! So I have to become the best swordsman to impress them!"

And so he did. Fencing became an important part of his life from then on. His schedule revolved around practice, and his good grades rewards came in the form of authorisations for tournaments. Every time he traveled to another club or city, he kept waiting to hear the words which had shaped his life. To meet the one person he was already extremely grateful to. 

When he was sixteen, Koume died. 

It had been a normal day for him. School followed by practice. Even when the club didn't have an official session, Ganon was trusted enough to have a spare key to the training hall. And he made use of it as much as he could. He had gone home with a spring in his step, having managed to master a tricky part of footwork he had been stuck on for days. He opened the front door ready to share his joy with his mums, instead he found switched off lights, drawn curtains, and a woman's sobs resonating through his house. 

The death was ruled a traffic accident. A driver had swerved while trying to evade people running onto the road, and had hit Koume as she was walking on the sidewalk. 

Those people, Ganon later came to know, were truants from a gang calling themselves the Gerudo. They had robbed a jewelry store in broad daylight before they had made their grand escape cross the busy road. 

Life had never been the same again. Kotake had become a shadow of her former self. As if a part of her had been forcefully torn out. Leaving only an empty husk. Ganon threw himself even further into fencing, keeping his usual routine. The only difference being how little time he now spent at home. Gone were the days where he went straight home after practice. Now he just...roamed. Walking down the streets of his home town, seemingly aimless. Just looking for something. Anything. Hoping to hear someone's words. 

He was almost eighteen when he heard the conversation which would change his life forever.

He was drinking at a bar he wasn't supposed to be at. But time had done some good for his stature. And as an over six foot tall man with a beard, he hadn't even gotten ID'd when ordering. It seemed his frame and sour expression had scared the barman into letting him slide. He was drinking at the bar, lost in his head, yet still with his ears tuned to the conversations around him. A habit he couldn't seem to break. The last thing he needed was to miss his soulmate. 

"Did you hear?" A man with a voice stained with cigarettes said. "It seems like the Gerudo Gang has settled in the old port, near Kakariko bridge."

"Are you serious?" Another once answered. "I pass through there to go to work. When is the police going to do something about this trash."

_Gerudo._ He thought. It seemed familiar. Where had he heard that name before.

It hit him.

Rage danced in his eyes, reaching all the way to his right hand, who contracted and crushed his glass in a million shards. The whole bar stopped at the sound, eyes turning towards the red haired man. Ganon stood, slowly turning towards the men he had been eavesdropping on. He towered over them, his expression indescribable. 

"Tell me more."

It didn't take long for him to reach the old port. Thirty minutes of fast walking, not even noticing the stares directed to his bleeding hand. City lights barely reached the abandoned spot, the old freight building feeling even more decrepit in the darkness. 

Why was he here? He didn't know. His mind had blocked his reason as easily as it had blocked the pain in his right hand. All he knew, was that he needed to be here. Entering the building, and confronting the thirty people sitting inside. 

They seemed surprised to see him, while he stood in front on them, unsure of what to do now. A man rose to meet him. The leader, as the reactions of the members he passed by seemed to indicate. He was tall, though not as tall as Ganon. With tattoos from head to toe and muscles filling his clothes to the last wrinkle, he seemed calm as he approached. 

"To what do we owe this visit?" He asked, his smile crooked. 

Ganon looked down on him, rage dancing in his palms. "February 19. Last year. Where were you?"

The man seemed puzzled. He turned to his gang. One of his henchmen spoke up. "Wasn't that when he did the robbery on 7th street?"

The leader smirked. "Oh, yes. That's right." He turned to Ganon. "What, did someone want some jewelry? To put in that ridiculous hair? You know barbers are a thing, right?"

"A woman was killed that day."

"Oh, yeah, I remember. What? You think it was because of us? It's not our fault the bitch couldn't move a step to the right to avoid that car.-"

The man continued talking, but Ganon couldn't hear a word anymore. His ears had shut. He instinctively reached for his sword, but he had left it in the training hall. And so, for the first time in his life, he used his fists. 

He used his fists to express everything he kept hidden inside of him for over a year. Everything he wanted to say to Kotake but couldn't bring himself to. Everything he wanted to say to Koume even though he couldn't anymore. Everything became painted in blood on the Gerudo leader's face. Nobody moved as he unfurled his rage on the man. Nobody dared. The sound of fists hitting flesh filled their ears until Ganon started to slow down, eventually stopping. His hands black with bruises and blood, his lungs unable to properly process air.

Ganon's ears opened again. He straightened up, looking down at the unconscious man under him. His face had been beaten so that he was almost unrecognisable. His lips and eyes red with blood. _Shit._ He thought _. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit._

A slow clap resounded in the abandoned building. All looked up to see a thin, blonde man walk towards the intruder with a smile on his face. 

"Bravo," He said, his voice playful and smooth. "To think someone like you would just waltz in here and take care of our problem for us." He spoke with a smile, getting closer and closer to the unconscious leader. Ganon backed away by reflex, wanting to get away from his own gruesome work. The slender man bent down to take the leader's pulse, frowning as he did. 

"That won't do," He said. As he stood, he placed his food on the leader's neck, putting all of his weight on it. 

"What the fuck are you-"

"What's your name?" The blonde man asked, keeping his foot in its place. Ganon could start to see blood vessels in the leader's head begin to bulge. Why was no one stopping this man? "Not that it matters. See, in this gang, we're what you can call _individualists_. We appreciate a leader, but it is not a necessity. We like to act on our own, but we like having a figure that can inspire fear in our enemies." The unconscious man's face grew darker and darker, and he started to shake and sputter. "This one you see, was starting to get arrogant, thinking of himself as essential to the gang, not at all the Gerudo way." 

"I think you're good now Ghirahim." Someone said from Ganon's right. 

At the woman's word, the man -Ghirahim- took his foot off of the former leader's neck. He bent down to check his pulse, a smile drawing on his face as he found nothing. 

"So," He started again. "We would like you, to be the new Gerudo leader! You seem like much of an upgrade."

Ganon's head started to spin, vomit formed in his mouth. "You guys are sick." He said before turning around to leave.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, murderer." Ghirahim called out.

"What-"

"Thirty people saw _you_ kill this man," The slender man said, staring into his eyes with glee. "If his body is discovered, and none of us are on your side, you're going to go away for a long time." His smile widened as he spoke. 

Ganon realised he had entered a Lion's den, and he was not going to walk out the same man.

His life spiraled even further. Though the Gerudo gang were independent, they still required his presence for many things. Especially in the beginning, to introduce him as their new leader. To show off to their enemies. _This is who you'll have to deal with if you mess with us._ Ganon barely came home anymore, and the key to the training hall remained stuck in his bag. Any semblance of happiness had left his face. The smell of night life had replaced the smell of his fencing helmet. He felt as if he could barely even remember the weight of a sword in his hands. It got so bad, even his mother started to notice.

"I'm worried about you." She said one morning.

Years had passed. Time had started to heal the open wound in her heart. Ganon had seen her smile here and there. But it was too late. He had been hurt too, and she had left him alone. Alone in the same pain she felt. And he had become trapped because of it.

"What, so _now_ you care?" He spat out. Kotake tried to retort, but he left before she could speak, slamming the door behind him. 

When he came home in the early morning, there was a brochure and a fencing sword on the kitchen table. The brochure was for a four year program in fencing in a french university. On it was a sticker note donned with his mother's handwriting. 

_"Koume found this a long time ago. Think about it."_

His right hand instinctively reached for the sword. His muscles relishing in the familiar weight. As he fiddled with it, he saw his wrist. It brought him back to his fifth birthday. To the morning where he first found the brochure for his fencing club. Before he knew it, he had brought the sword up to his eyes, trying to ignore the warm streams staining his cheeks.

The next day, his mother found him sleeping with his sword in his arms.

The final four months of his high school life were spent secretly preparing his trip and brushing up on his french any time he could. Whenever he was on his phone, he was studying flash cards or frequenting french fencing forums to get used to the lingo. Kotake had booked him a flight a week after his graduation. So he could settle in and get comfortable in french before the start of term. He still had no time to train in the training hall, but he got some practice at home whenever he could before school. The living room had been cleared out so he could have space to do so, and he was grateful his mum didn't ask about the key still in his bag. Gang life was still unbearable, but the deadline helped. Soon, he would be in a whole other country. Somewhere not even Ghirahim or any other members could reach. 

It was with a light spring in his step that he headed to the train station to get to the airport. A spring which was quickly lost when he saw two familiar figures waiting at the entrance. A blonde man and a bald one. Ghirahim and Xant. Two of the biggest trouble makers of the gang. 

"Leaving without saying goodbye?" Ghirahim said. 

Fear took a hold of Ganon's heart, but he kept a straight face. "I have nothing to say to you," He said, heading past them to the ticket gate. 

"You think you can run away from us?" Xant called out. "Remember what we know about you! You wouldn't want the only mother you have left to be all alone now, would you?" Two laughs ensued, but Ganon ignored them. He continued straight on, getting on the train and finding a corner seat.

His hands were shaking. He took out his sword case, hugging it close with his wrist in his line of sight. _It's going to be fine_ . He repeated, _like a mantra. It's going to be fine._

Four years passed in the blink of an eye.

Four blissful years of escapism and fencing. In a country where no one knew him, and where he didn't have to constantly listen to every first words people said to him. He insisted that everyone speak french around him. For his own peace of mind. This was his temporary haven before he had to go back to the rats waiting for him. He knew that his soulmate wasn't there. Some weird instinct. And for once, he was glad. 

But time still passes on with its own pace. Uncaring of how people want it to. And he was soon back into the arms of his mother, and of the gang. His mother found him a job at a nearby café. The owner had been impressed with him being bilingual, and his size was a great reassurance with gang violence in the city. He didn't mind the job, though customer service was far from his strong suit. What made it worthwhile, was the man who had come in on his third ever shift. 

The café wasn't really busy during this time of day, which only made him notice more. The door chime rang as a small, blonde man entered the store. He wore a green jacket, complimenting his blue eyes. _Why am I thinking about his eyes._ He thought. The man had made it a point to not look at him after his entrance, which Ganon let slide. He had been warned by his colleagues that customer service saw you meet plenty of strange people. When he dealt with the customers before him and the man still hadn't moved, Ganon called out to him.

"Hi, what can I get for you?"

The blue eyed man froze, staring at him as if he detained the secrets of the universe.

"Swords!" He let out, and Ganon's heart stopped. "I mean, no! I mean, yes! I mean...Fuck."

Ganon stood incredulous for a second. He looked down at his wrist, which was tingling. Seeing the all too familiar words slowly darken. He couldn't hold back an exasperated chuckle. At this, his soulmate turned to look at him properly, and Ganon could have spent hours just looking at his eyes. 

"I'm glad that last word wasn't included," He said, fighting against the tears that were threatening to roll out of his eyes. "I can't imagine my parents explaining that to a five year old."

His soulmate looked confused, and Ganon couldn't help a smile at how cute he seemed. He showed him his wrist as the final proof of their meeting.

"Hi," He said.

The man took his hand in his, returning the greeting. The touch made his stomach feel strange. 

"I happen to like swords, for some strange reason." He continued, though it was quite an understatement. "Want to talk about it over coffee?"

His soulmate beamed, and Ganon thought that maybe, maybe he could learn to love his hometown again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the fluff is coming!!!!! It will be there starting from next chapter with cute dates and the likes. I just needed Ganon's backstory to be set for plot shenanigangs later.


	3. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the title. Ganon and Link have the first of many dates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The promised fluff.

The gentle sound of jazz music in the background. The warmth of the coffee in his hand. The smell of freshly ground beans invading his nose. Link was used to all of these sensations. They had always been accompanied with a slight sense of melancholy as he sat alone, reminiscing on the confused expression of the service worker at his signature phrase. Another miss for another day. He was used to it.

But now.

Now there was someone sitting in front of him. A brown apron clearly to small for his frame contrasting with his unimaginably long crimson hair pulled back into a low ponytail. He had no coffee of his own, his hands fiddling with each other during this unexpected break he had been accorded once his manager realised what had happened. They were silent as they observed each other. Mingling reality with the image they had formed in their heads for so many years. Link had his type, but he told himself he would love his soulmate no matter what they looked like. This, was a happy scenario he had never really allowed himself to imagine. 

"So," The tall man started, his voice sounding as awkward as Link felt. 

"Yep," Link answered.

"What's your name?" His voice was low, but it showed some high pitches oozing of emotion. It made the blonde man smile.

"Link."

"Link." His soulmate repeated, a smile growing on his face. "Link."

The sound of his name being repeated so lovingly made him blush, and he had to cough to let out some awkwardness. "What's yours?" He asked.

"Ganondorf, but everyone calls me Ganon."

"Ganon." Link repeated. The name made something click in his mind. The last piece of a lifelong puzzle. He wondered if this was how the other man had felt when he had learned his name. "Ganon," He said, looking into his eyes. "It suits you."

His soulmate averted his gaze, and he swore he could see a smidgen of red appear on his dark skin. 

There was another awkward silence as neither really knew what to say. 

"This is weird," Ganon said, keeping his gaze away from Link's face. "I never thought I would meet you like this."

Link chuckled. "I did." At his soulmate's confusion, he showed his first words again. Ganon couldn't help a snort.

"Did you yell about swords to every service employee you encountered?"

Link's face became red from embarrassment. "No! I- listen!" He insisted as Ganon continued to laugh under his breath. "I had this phrase alright. I would say my order, like normal, and then I would just casually say 'I like swords' and see how they reacted. When they just looked confused, I brushed it off and got my order."

The taller man leaned in with his elbows on the table. "Why didn't you do that with me?" He asked, his eyes shimmering with interest. 

Link muttered something incomprehensible.

"What was that?"

He straightened his back, looking into the eyes of his soulmate. "You," He started. "are the hottest man I've ever seen and I had a massive moment of panic when you spoke to me."

Ganon's eyes widened as he lost all semblance of composure. "Oh," He let out.

"Yep."

"Thanks...I guess."

"Uhuh."

The silence was back, though not as awkward as it was before. It was a giddy sort of silence filled with ever increasing looks and smiles. Basking in the joy of having finally found each other. The moment was broken when Ganon saw his manager signal to his watch from the corner of his eye. He groaned.

"I have to get back to work." He said, clearly not wanting to leave.

"I also have work to do." Link answered, mirroring his attitude.

They looked at each other, all too aware of the responsibilities they were choosing to ignore for the chance of being able to look at each other for even a second longer. Ganon groaned once more as he stood up.

"I really have to go."

Link caught him with his gaze. "Can I come again?"

"Yeah," Ganon said, observing Link's lips form a smile once more. "Of course. Wait-" He reached for a disposable napkin and wrote his number on it. He wished he could have taken a picture of the stars that shone in Link's eyes as he saw it on the white sheet. "I'll send you my schedule."

Link smiled as he grabbed Ganon's fingers, watching and playing with them gently before looking back up to his face. It made the taller man's stomach do back flips. "I'll see you later then?"

Ganon nodded, not trusting his voice, and watched his soulmate go until he was physically unable to. 

  
  
  


* * *

_ 'When do you get off?' _

The message loomed in Link's text box. He had tried to earnestly go back on his cat search but before he knew it, he was sitting on a park bench, hands sweaty beneath his phone. It had barely been an hour, and surely Ganon wouldn't be looking at his phone during his shift. Maybe he had already gone home. Would it be awkward to ask to see him again on the same day? Was there some specific time period you were supposed to wait between soulmate meetings?

His mind was spiraling out of control, and so he did the one thing he knew how to do when he was stuck in a loop. He jumped.

He hit send, expecting to wait for an answer, but his phone dinged not even a minute later.

_ 'Someone's eager.' _

Link blushed, his heart filled with irritation and glee.

_ 'I'm not the one stalking my messages during work.' _

_ 'Shut up.'  _

He laughed, starting to type his answer when another message came through.

_ 'I'm closing today. 7PM. Want to come and have the last drink before I clean the machines?' _

Link couldn't help standing up. He jumped around in a small circle, desperately holding back his squeals. When he found the strength to be static, he typed his answer. Seven. Barely two hours. With a warm flame in his heart and a spring to his step, he walked around the park, checking his watch anytime he could.

The smile Link saw on Ganon's face when his entrance made the door bell jingle had instantly become one of his favourite things in the world. Full of happiness with a tint of awkwardness and relief. He wondered how many more times he would be able to make it appear that night.

"You came." Ganon's voice was as soft and warm as hot chocolate. Link thought he would melt in it.

"Only for the drink," He said with a smirk. His heart squeezed at Ganon's chuckle.

There was no one except them in the café. Gone was the buzz of conversation and the stuffy smell of people and coffee. Only the sound of Link's footsteps broke the silence which now reigned in the lowly lit shop.

"Rude. I am an integral part of the offer. If you're not interested, you are kindly invited to fuck off," Ganon countered, still sporting a smile.

Link leaned on the counter. "Make me."

Before he knew it, large hands were picking him up at the waist, Ganon easily reaching it over the counter with his size, and he was lifted over the taller man's shoulder. The blonde man's complaints became lost between laughs. He wasa carried back to the sitting area and gently placed on a chair.

"Sit," Ganon said, his grin making it hard to speak. "I'll get you your drink."

Leaving his soulmate alone at a freshly cleaned table, he turned towards the machine, Link never taking his eyes off of him. They said nothing as the machine buzzed. Link only breaking the silence as Ganon was focused on the drink.

"This is weird," He said. The implications clear to his soulmate.

"It is," Ganon answered, turning back around, the finished drink in his hand.

"We met, what, three hours ago?"

Ganon checked the café clock before sitting down in front of Link. "Three hours and twenty six minutes ago."

Link couldn't help a smirk, but caught himself quick. "See, this is what I'm talking about. I should be creeped out that you remember that to the minute, but I'm not. It makes me insanely happy. That's not normal." He started to sip on his drink, frowning. Ganon wanted to put his finger in the crease formed by his eyebrows. Just because.

"I'm just glad I don't have to look for you anymore," The taller man said, his eyes studying his soulmate's face.

"You were looking for me?" Link blushed.

"Of course. But at least I didn't go around professing my love of swords to every service worker I met."

Link faked a pout. "What else was I supposed to do? What kind of first words are  _ 'Hi, what can I get for you?' _ There were plenty of other jobs you could have taken. Like, with your build, you could've become a firefighter and rescue me from a flaming building and ask if I was okay and then I could have let out a cool phrase like 'Now that you're here.'"

Ganon laughed. "Well, _ because you like swords _ so much, I took up fencing hoping to see you during a tournament sometime and I meet you in a frigging coffee shop."

Link almost spat out his drink. "Are you serious?"

Ganon blushed as he recoiled in embarrassment. "Your first word was just 'Swords', what else was I supposed to think."

"Are you any good? Did you win any trophies?"

Ganon thought back to his early tournaments, of the childhood glee crushed on a cold evening. He chose to focus on the present instead. Gang politics had no affair in his love life. "I just got back from a four year program in France. So yeah, pretty good."

Link froze. "Wait, can you speak french?"

Ganon grinned. "Tu n'as aucune idée de l'importance que tu as dans ma vie (You have no idea how important you are in my life)," He said, his voice unwillingly filled with all the emotions he bore for so many years.

His soulmate didn't need to understand for butterflies to spring to life in his stomach. "What did you say?"

"I'll tell you on our next date."

Link could feel his face burning. Overjoyed at his soulmate's choice of words. They continued to talk, the words seemingly unending. They bounced off of each other as if they had known each other for years. They took note of each smile, each laugh, slowly learning how the other reacted. Likes, dislikes, small things became suddenly important. They regretted not having a notebook to jot them all down. When the subject of Ganon's childhood came up, he diverted as well as he could, not ready to break this moment. He could tell Link noticed, but he didn't press further, and he couldn't be happier to have him as his soulmate. They talked right until they came outside, preparing for Link to leave. The conversation fell to a halt there. The two of them standing silent, hands entwined. Not knowing what to say. 

"This is hard." Link said, fiddling with Ganon's fingers.

The taller man nodded, keeping his gaze on their hands. "Did it live up to your expectations?" He asked, keeping his gaze down. "Meeting me."

Link chuckled, walking forwards to press his head against the taller man's chest. "This is so much better than I could have ever imagined."

Ganon saw the red peeking through his soulmate's ears and felt the most genuine smile he could ever remember making form on his face. When Link finally left, after much protesting and pouting, he watched him leave, just like he had the first time. It was equally the best and the saddest thing he had ever seen. 

He went back into the break room and saw his sword, resting in its carrier. He seldom went anywhere without it now, a habit hard to break. He sat down and took it in its arms. Just like he had that night with the brochure on the kitchen table. With a satisfied smile on his face, he whispered to it.

"We finally found him."


End file.
